Some students didn't know how to answer the question and just thought it was ridiculous. How could a woman serve as an official in the court?
He immediately picked up his pen and started writing. He was already tormented by the various unconventional test questions and was schizophrenic. Now he just expressed himself freely and cursed whenever he wanted. The paper was full of nonsense.
Some simply gave up and said, "This question is already so difficult, and you are still trying to embarrass me?" Well, let's embarrass each other together. You ask whether women can enter the court as officials?
I can write it! It depends on you!
Take the Qin family of our dynasty as an example. There were so many female generals, but they only went to the battlefield to kill enemies and made meritorious deeds. They never had any meritorious service. This is not fair!
Take the Crown Princess as an example. She presented high-quality seeds and developed cheap paper, which indirectly reduced the price of books and enabled the poor to read. With such achievements, why couldn't she participate in political affairs?
Some students came from official families and naturally knew about what Assistant Professor Qin said to the chief priest at the palace banquet that day.
Moreover, they knew every word that Assistant Professor Qin said in the court clearly, and at this moment they answered with great enthusiasm and passion.
This is the convenience brought by their status. They knew about it in advance and discussed it with their elders at home. As for whether the emperor wanted women to serve as officials, their answers were meaningful.
Several days of examinations passed by in a flash, and on the last day, after handing in the papers, the candidates walked out of the examination room with their heads held high. Unlike in the past when some were confused or beat their chests and stamped their feet after the examinations, this time all the students taking the examinations were full of fighting spirit. With such difficult questions, they just wanted to see who could pass!
The papers were handed in and copied overnight, and the examiners marked the papers overnight. The results were posted on the bulletin board on the seventh day after the exam.
A few months ago, in the spring examination, 150 people were admitted. However, due to a cheating case in the imperial examination, only a dozen or so people were actually on the list. Including those who were secretly assigned as officials, there were only about 20 people in total.
Due to the lack of manpower in the court, only more than 200 people were admitted in this exam. This was a compressed number. After all, the questions were rather unconventional and not many people could answer them well. They had to pick out the best from the worst. They had to choose some who wrote sharp essays and some who supported women holding official positions. Then they would screen out those who were good in all aspects and promote them. In the end, 200 people were admitted.
The palace examination was held the day after the announcement was made.
The students walked into the Hall of Supreme Harmony. Those who were mentally prepared were not surprised to see Princess Qin Wan beside the Crown Prince and Assistant Professor Qin beside the Chief Priest.
Those students who had no way of knowing that there were women serving as officials were all shocked when they saw the two of them!
There really are women serving as officials!
The Crown Princess really participates in politics!
They later realized that after the last palace examination, someone had mentioned the Crown Princess's words and actions during the examination. However, at that time, they were all attracted by the imperial examination cheating case and actually ignored this point.
It was not until this time that these students realized that it might be a trend for women to serve as officials.
Assistant Professor Qin and General Qin are a stepping stone, and the touchstone is this special examination.
If nothing unexpected happens, there will be women taking the exam for the scholar next year, right?
But they are not worried. They believe that women are not as good at studying as men, so why should they compete with them for these things?
The emperor looked at the students and said, "I have decided to abdicate the throne to the Crown Prince. Therefore, you will be the last palace examination I preside over, and also my last batch of students."
"So, I want to ask you, the best students of the Great Zhou, if a son fails to teach his children, it is the fault of his father. So if a father breaks the law, what should the son do?"
After hearing this question, the students have become numb. There is only more tricky ones, not the trickiest one, right?
Then write it.
The sages taught us loyalty, filial piety, propriety, and integrity. Loyalty and patriotism come first, and filial piety is even more important than anything else. Is this question aimed at teaching filial piety? Or does it require a different approach?
The students fell into deep thought.
Some people started writing immediately, while others sat and pondered for a long time before carefully putting pen to paper.
For a moment, you could hear a pin drop in the hall. Time passed bit by bit until the first student put down his pen, carefully checked his answer sheet and stood up. Only then did others signal to hand in their papers one after another.
The emperor ordered people to collect the completed papers and examine them carefully. Before the emperor had finished looking through the papers, the students stopped writing and stood up.
All the papers were collected, marked on the spot, and handed over to the emperor to decide the top three.
I have to say that these two hundred students are quite capable. Regardless of their answers, at least their articles are well-reasoned.
The emperor pondered for a long time, picked up his pen and decided on the top three. Then he said, "The palace banquet will be hosted by the Crown Princess and the Crown Prince. I am tired."
After the emperor finished speaking, he left with the help of Eunuch Zhang. The eunuch in charge read out the top three and arranged for the first, second and third place winners to ride on horses in a parade through the streets.
Xie Qing and Qin Wan did not stay long at the palace banquet in the evening. After encouraging the newly-minted scholars, they prepared to leave hand in hand.
Before leaving, Xie Qing looked at the newly minted scholars and said, "The Great Zhou is now in ruins and needs to be rebuilt. There is nothing left to do. There is no need to rush your official positions. Wait a few days. Once you have participated in my coronation ceremony, I will make arrangements for you."
The students were surprised and delighted when they heard this. Could they also participate in the coronation ceremony?
As if to answer their doubts, Xiao Luzi ordered someone to bring formal attire: "These are all made by order of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. You must wear them on the day of the coronation ceremony."
The brand new and luxurious dress was only slightly different from the official uniform, but it felt as heavy as a thousand pounds when held in the hands. At this moment, they finally understood the importance of this imperial examination.
The emperor abdicated, the prince ascended the throne, everything was in ruins, and women became officials...
They will witness a new chapter in the history of the Great Zhou!
Three days later.
Coronation ceremony.
The entire palace is solemn, dignified and grand.
Xie Qing was wearing a bright yellow dragon robe and standing in front of the imperial throne. The emperor personally put the crown on his head and then handed him the jade seal.
Qin Wan was wearing a formal dress and a gorgeous and complicated phoenix crown on her head. A huge oriental pearl shone brightly on the crown.
The emperor looked at Qin Wan and handed her the Phoenix Seal, saying, "I entrust the new emperor and the Great Zhou to you."
"Your son will definitely live up to your trust." Qin Wan looked into the emperor's eyes and replied loudly.
The emperor smiled with satisfaction and waved to them gently: "Go, go and offer sacrifices to the heaven."
The newly crowned emperor and empress, holding the jade seal and the phoenix seal in their hands, boarded the imperial sedan chair and headed for the Temple of Heaven.
The imperial carriage did not go directly to the Temple of Heaven. The emperor and empress had to circle the city to let the people see the new emperor and empress before going to the Temple of Heaven.
Civil and military officials will follow the imperial carriage on foot.
The translucent glazed windows reflected the dignified and elegant queen inside the carriage, as well as the cheering people outside.
Qin Wan stretched her stiff neck slightly and parted her red lips, carefully avoiding any visible movement. "Why do the windows of this imperial chariot have to be made of colored glass? I can't even relax."
Xie Qing's back also felt a little stiff. He tilted his head slightly and waved outside: "I feel the same way, I feel the same way."
The emperor and the empress smiled and waved to the people outside. No one knew that the two seemingly solemn people actually wanted to collapse on the spot.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
